The top 11 most banned books of 2025

There’s an important conversation happening now in the book world about what kids should and shouldn’t be reading. Book banning, according to the American Library Association (ALA), is the act of removing materials from a school or library’s physical or digital collection as a result of objections about the book’s ideas or information. The New York Times reported that these objections are increasing at a pace not seen in decades.

While the topic is getting media attention today, it’s not a new concept. Classic titles that have faced criticism include The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, although records of challenges extend back even further. In 1953, a fictional dystopian novel was published about book banning—Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451—which is the temperature at which book paper catches fire and burns.

The Office of Intellectual Freedom, a division of the ALA, works to ensure free access to information is available to all, and celebrates the freedom to read each year during Banned Books Week in September. With a mantra of “Books Unite Us,” their mission is to allow everyone to read freely, so that books may build bridges among us. This access can be especially important for children who are still learning what it means to accept others who look different from themselves or come from unfamiliar places or situations.

Here's a look at the top 11 most challenged books from 2025:

The ALA has released the State of America's Libraries Report for 2026,reporting 4,235 unique titles challenged in 2025, the second highest ever documented by ALA. Of the unique titles challenged in 2025, 1,671 (40%) represent the lived experiences of LGBTQIA+ people and people of color.

1️⃣ Sold by Patricia McCormick

2️⃣ The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

3️⃣ Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

4️⃣ Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas

5️⃣ (tie) Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo

5️⃣ (tie) Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

7️⃣ A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

8️⃣ (tie) A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

8️⃣ (tie) Identical by Ellen Hopkins

8️⃣ (tie) Looking for Alaska by John Green

8️⃣ (tie) Storm and Fury by Jennifer L. Armentrout

For more challenged books, you can browse this list.

Find more books at your local library through Libby, the library reading app.

*Title availability may vary by library & region.

RELATED READ: The 100 most frequently challenged books of the last decade